Brake beam



c. HARTER l BRAKE BEAM Filed Nov. 21. 192:1,

Patented Dec. ll, i923.

CHARLES HARTER, OYF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

BRAKE BEAM.

Application iled November 21, 1921. Serial No. 516,629.

T 0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES HAn'rnR, a citizen of the United States of America, a resident of the cityl of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and use'ful Improvements in Brake Beams, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompan ing drawings, forming a part. of this speci cation.

This invention relates to improvements in brake beams for railway rolling stock, and more particularly to a reversible brake beam adapted to receive either a live lever or a dead lever. Prior to this invention, some typesof brake beams havebeen'provided with struts, known as fulcrums, and adapted to receive brake levers, while other brake beams have been provided with fulcrums in the form of extended jaws adapted to receive brake levers. The ordinary brake lever fulcrum is permanentl secured, to the brake beam, and some fu crums are arranged to receive live levers while others are arranged to receive dead levers. rlhe different levers usually lie at an angle of 40 degrees to a vertical line, but the brake beams of a car truck are oppositely disposed, sothe ordinary brake beam having a permanently secured fulcrum for one lever can not be reversed and substituted for a beam provided with a fulcrum for the other lever. l

As a consequence, it is customary for railroad companies to carry a stock of brake -beams having differe tly arranged brake lever fulcrums, and this usually involves a double investlnent for brake beams as well as storage space for different beams, and the inconvenience of selecting the required beam whenever it is necessary to replace an old beam. I am aware that 'it is lpossible to remove some of the old types of brake lever fulcrums, and'in this event a fulcrum for a live lever could be rearranged to receive a dead lever. However, this is not in accordance with the ordinary practice, for the fulcrums are usually permanently lfse-v cured to the beams.

Furthermore, in a trussed brake beam, the tension member is carefull ladjusted by a manufacturer having the acilities to accurately determine the adjustment, and the strut of the beam forms the brake lever fulcrum, so if the fulcrum is removed or loosened it would be necessary to relieve the tension in the beam.l

One of the objects of the present invention is to produce a brake beam having a fulcrum adapted to receive either a live lever or a dead lever. Afurther object is to provide means whereby either lever can be pivoted to the fulcrum without displacing the fulcrum; This is desirable on account of the difliculty of removing and replacing the Vfulcrum, and also for the rea-l son that after a fulcrum has been displaced it cannot be readily secured in another position, this being especially true in a trussed beam where the ulcrum is formed by a rigid strut between a compression member and a tension member. v

To illustrate the invention, l have shown and will hereafter describe a brake beam having a compression member, a tension member, and a brake ylever fulcrum in the form of a strut between said members. The strut or fulcrum may be permanently secured between the compression and tension members, for it is not necessary to remove or displace the strut. The strut, or fulcrum, is slotted or otherwise formed to provide guides for a dead lever and a live lever, and

.either lever can be pivotally secured to the beam without displacing the strut.l rlhe guides for the dilierent levers lie at an angle to each other, and the pivot can be adjusted to receive eitlier lever. So far as l am aware, l am the first to produce a brake beam having a fulcruni f any kind adapted to receive either an inclined live lever or an inclined dead lever without displacing the fulcrum relative to the body of the beam.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention comprises the novel con'- vstruction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein' is shown the referred embodiment of the invention. owever, it is to be understood that the *invention comprehends changes, variations and modifications Which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Fig. I is a top view of a brake beam having a fulcrum embodying theA features of this invention.

Fig. lll is an enlarged transverse section taken approximately on the line ll- H in Fig. l.

Fig. lll is an enlarged transverse section taken approximately on the line lll- Hl in Fig. l.

Fig. IV is a View similar to Fig. HI, showing the elements as they appear when a dead lever vis mounted in the fulcrum.4

Fig. V is a fragmentary side elevation looking in the direction indicated by the arrow V in Fig. lll.

Fig. Vl is a section showing the middle portion of the strut, or ulorum, with the lever and its pivotal mounting omitted.

F ig. VH is a perspective v1ew of one of the pivot-receiving blocks.

Fig. I shows a brake beam having a compression member 1, a tension member 2 and brake heads 3 at the adjacent ends' of said members. 4c designates nuts mounted on the ends of the tension member Aand ada. ted to engage the brake heads. These eements 1, 2, 3-and 4 may be made in any suitable manner, and if desired the tensionv member can be permanently secured to the compresg sion member.

A designates a hollow strut engaging and rigidly held between the compression member l and tension member 2. This strut may be made of a single piece of metal, and itA can be ermanently secured to the members 1 an 2. lt is adapted to receive brake levers, and struts of this general type are known in the art as brake lever fulcrums.

The hollow strut herein shown is provided with, oppositely disposed longitudinal slots 5 adapted to receive a live lever L, shown in Figs. l', ll and lll.' The strut is also provided with oppositely disposed lonlgitudinal slots 6 adapted to receive a dead lever D, shown in Fig. lV. The side walls of the slots for the live lever la are parallel with'each other but at an angle to the side walls of the slots for the dead lever D. As suggested by Figs. lll and lV. the live lever L extends upwardly at one side of the strut A, and rthis upwardly extending portion preferably lies at an angle of 4() degrees to a vertical line. As shown by Fig. lV., the dead lever D is inclined oppositely to the live leverq and the upwardly extending portion of the dead lever lies at an angle oiE 40 degrees to a vertical line. The side walls of the slots 6 for the dead lever D are therefore preferably formed at an angle of approximately 8G degrees to thev side walls of the slots 5 for the live lever.

l will now point out the pivotal mounting whereby either lever can be properly pivoted to the strut. B designates pivot-receiving blocks removably mounted in the hollow strut A. and adapted to lie opposite each other as shown by Figs. lll and lV. Each block B has an arcuate outer face conformns'zavea ing to the cylindrical inner face of the hollow strut.- Each blotik is also provided with an extension 7 in the'` form of a lug adapted to lie within any o of the slots 5 and 6. As shown most clearly by Figs V and VH, each lug 7 has straight side faces adapted to engage the side walls of the slot in which the lug is mounted. 8 designates a brake lever pivot extending through apertures in the blocks B and also through the lever between said blocks. When the parts are assembled as shown by Figs. ll and lll, the live lever L passes through the oppositely disposed slots 5, and the side walls of these y slots serve as guides for the live lever. The

blocks B have fiat inner faces which lie flush with the side walls of slots 5 and engage opposite sides of the live lever. The lugs 7 on the block B then lie in the slots 6, and

the 6. n Figs. lll and lll the axis of the ivot 8 lies at a right angle to the lever i, so the pivot is not parallel with the side walls of slots 6. @wing to the peculiar inclinations of the side walls of slots 5 and 6,

Ipivot' pin 8 extends through these *slotsy and for the reason that it is desirable to ot' the side walls ofv each slot is recessed as shown at 9 to receive an end portion of the ivotpin.

rlhe blocks B are movable from one slot to another to receive either the live lever or the dead lever. Figs. ll, ll and lll show the blocks positioned to receive the live lever lL, and Fig. lV shows them positioned to receive the dead lever D. When in either of these positions, the blocks B are disposed opposite to each other so as to extend into two of the oppositely disposed slots 5y or G. while the interposed level` passes through the other slots. i

As shown by Figs. V and Vl, the hollow strut is provided with internal thrust-receiving shoulders 10 adapted to engage the ends ot the blocks ll. When the parts are assembled, each block lies between and engages the thrust-receiving shoulders 1U. while its lug 7 lies between and engages the opposite side walls of a slot 5 or G. The blocks are thus securely intel-locked with the strut, and they are closely confined between the' lever and the strut. 'llhe pivot pin S may be provided with a removable Cotter pin 11 at one end and a head at the oppo l Lerares beam herein disclosed is reversible. In other words, it can be used with either a l live lever or a dead lever, and although these levers are op'positely inclined, either lever can be properly mounted at an angle of 40 'degrees to a vertical line. Furthermore, either lever can be readily applied to the brake beam Without displacing the strut A which serves as the brake lever fulcrum. It is not necessary to loosen the tension rod 2, nor to disturb any of the main elements of the trussed beam, so the strut can be permanently mounted in a fixed position relative to the compressionmember l and tension member 2.

I claim:

1. A reversible brake beam having a stationary brake lever fulcrum provided with slots for the reception of a live lever anda dead lever, the slot for the live lever being formed at an angle other than a right angle to the slot for the dead lever, and means whereby either lever can be pivotally mounted in said brake lever fulcrum, said means including a pivot adjustable from one of said slots to the other, said pivot being extended through the lever at a right angle thereto.

2. A reversible brake beam having a stationary brake lever fulcrum provided with slots for the reception of aI live lever and a dead lever, the slot for the live lever being formed at an angle other than a right angle to the slot Afor the dead lever, and means whereby either lever can be pivotally mounted in said brake lever fulcrum, said means including a pair of independent pivot-receiving members interlocked with said fulerum and adapted to extend across said slots, each of said pivot-receiving members( being adjustable from one slot to the other to provide for the reception of either of said levers.

A reversible brake beam comprising a compression member, a tension member, a brake lever fulcrum including a strut engaging and rigidly held between said compression and tension! members, said strut having oppositely disposed longitu-dinal slots for thev reception of a live lever, said strut also having oppositely disposed longitudinal slots for the reception of a dead lever, the sidewalls of the slots for one lever being parallel with eachother but at an angle other than a' right angle to the side Walls of the slots for the other lever,vand a brake lever pivot mounted in said strut and adjustable from one position to another to form a pivot for either of said levers.,

said pivot being arranged to extend at al 'right angle through either of said levers.

4. A reversible brake beam comprising a compression member., a tension member, a brake lever fnlcrum including a strut engaging and rigidly held between said' compression and tension membersh said strut having oppositely disposed longitudinal slots for the reception of a live lever,

said strut also having oppositely. disposed' pivot-receiving members, 'said pivot and pivot-receiving members being adjustable to. form a pivotal mounting for either of the levers and said pivot being arranged to pass through either of .said levers at a vright angle thereto.

5. A reversible brake beam comprising a compression member, a tension'member, a brake lever fulcr'um including a strut engaging and rigidly held between said com'- pression and tension members, said strut having oppositely disposed longitudinal slots for the reception of a live lever, said strut also having oppositely disposed longitudinal slots for the reception of a dead lever, the side Walls of the slots for one lever being parallel lWith each other but at an angle of approximately degrees to the side Walls of the slots for the other lever, and a brake lever pivot adapted to extend through one of said slots and through the lever in the other slot at a right angle thereto to form a pivot for said lever.

6. A reversible brake beam comprising a. compression member, a tension member, a brake lever fulcrum including a strut engaging and rigidly heldy between said compression and tension members, said strut having o positely disposed'longitudinal'slots for ti said strut also having oppositely disposed longitudinal slots for the reception of a dead lever, the side Walls of the slots for one lever being parallel with eachother but at an angle of approximately 80 degrees ,to the side Walls of the slots for the other lever, and a brake lever pivot adapted to extend through one of said slots and through the lever in the other slot at a right angle thereto to form a pivot for said lever, each of said slots having a recess in one of its side walls to receive an end por tion of said pivot.,

.7. A reversible brake beam having a compression member, a tension member, a'brake lever fulcrum including a hollow Strut rigidly held between said compression and tension members, said strut having oppositely disposed longitudinal slots for the reception of a live lever, said strut also having oppositely disposed longitudinal slots for the reception of a dead lever, the side walls of the slots for the live lever lill@ being parallel with each other but at an angle other than a right angle tothe side Walls of the slots for the dead lever, pivotreceivingblocks located `vvithin vthe hollow strut, said blocks being movable from one slot to another to receive either the live lever or the dead lever, and a brake leve'r pivot extending through said blocks and through' the lever betweenv said blocks at a right angle thereto, each of said slots having a recess in oney of its side Walls to receive an end portion of said brake lever pivot.

8. A reversible brake beam having a compression member, a tension member, a brake lever, fulcruni including a hollow strut made of a single piece of metal engaging and rigidly held between said compression and tension members, said strut having voppositely disposed longitudinal slots' for the reception of a live lever, said strut also having oppositely disposed longi- `tudinal slots for the reception of a dead lever, the sideI walls of the slots for the live lever being parallel with each other but at an angle other -than a right angle to the side Walls of the slots for the dead lever, pivotreceiving` blocks located' within the hollow strut and extending into two of said slots,

reversa the inner faces of said blocks being flush With the side Walls of the other slots and said blocks being movable from one slot to another to receive either the live lever er the dead lever, said hollow 'strut having 'internal thrust-receiving shoulders adapted to engage the ends of said blocks, and a brake lever pivot extending through said blocks and also through the slots into `which the blocks extend,l said pivot being extended through the lever supported between said blocks at a right angle theretoleach of said slots having a recess in one of its side walls to receive an end portion ot' said brake lever pivot.

9. A reversible brake beamhaving a brake Ilever ulcrum fixed thereto and provided with .5,:g'11ides-forl the reception of a live lever. and a dead lever, said guides being at an angle other than a right angle to each other, and means passing through one of said guides and extendingr at a right-angle through a lever arranged in the other guide whereby said lever is. {pivoted to the tule-rum without. displacingsaid fulcrum.

In testimony that l claim the foregoing l hereunto alix my signature,

CHARLES HARTER. 

